Salsa teacher training course

[Pacion]

There have been the discussions back and forth, forth and back :lol: about having some sort of salsa governing body. I think the general concensus has been to leave salsa ALONE!

On the other hand, is there anything that can be done about teachers? With every Tom, Tony, Tania and Tina starting a salsa class, is the time about right to start calling for some sort of teacher training programme? If you were involved, irrespective of our dance level, in devising that training programme, what do you think it should contain? I know there will be some obvious ones such as musicality and dance technique, but anything else?

[Sagitta]

I know that the following goes against the grain of this entire thread, but here are my two cents...

I see no need for a teacher training course, either for salsa, or for any of the other dances. Let any Tom, Dick, or Harry start a salsa class. You go to the first class and you can tell if they are any good. If not then just leave them. What I mean by that is did the tecahing style work for you. It doesn't matter if you don't know the least bit about dancing. I've seen that good instructors can make the worst person leave their first class having learnt something and with a smile on their face. That is the instructor I want.


Now back on topic...

If I had a teacher training course, the number one thing that an instructor needs to learn is how to break down moves, explain concepts, and techniques in a way that anyone can understand them. After that it would be the philosophy of flavor and style and being able to communicate this idea to students right from the beginning level. With this second concept comes the idea of musicality without bringing up that word. (It's one of those words that make the reality more daunting then it really is.) Both these ideas enscapulate communication skills. If you cannot communicate and interact well with your clientale you won't have a business.

[pygmalion]

Whether it's a good idea or not, I'll leave up to DFers to debate. But I'd bet that anybody who tried to require any specific training or credentials would get tarred and feathered and run out of town. Salser@s value their freedom above all else, not? :) 8)

[DanceMentor]

I do believe there are certain skills that need to be learned in order to become a good teacher, but (especially in salsa) teachers tend to have their own style, and people tend to resist any form of standardization, but it still begs the question...
What makes a good salsa teacher?

[squirrel]

hmmm... capacity to break down the moves and explain them to everybody so that each person understands it... people are different and need different explanations... :)
there are many skills required... any other ideas?

[borikensalsero]

free food, if a dance studio has free food after every lesson, I'd go there no matter if I did or didn't learn a thing. :D :D

[pygmalion]

:lol: :lol:

[Sagitta]

free food, if a dance studio has free food after every lesson, I'd go there no matter if I did or didn't learn a thing. :D :D It has to be good free food. I won't take any crap.

[Pacion]

free food, if a dance studio has free food after every lesson, I'd go there no matter if I did or didn't learn a thing. :D :D It has to be good free food. I won't take any crap.

:doh: No matter which ever way you look at it, the way to a man's feet will always be through his stomach :roll: :lol: :lol:

[salsalawyer]

Nothing can be done!!

Are you gonna give someone a ticket for illegal salsa instruction? :4u

Bad teachers find their way out of teaching as the reputation spreads.

BTW, Josie Neglia has a highly regarded course for instructors!!

[pygmalion]

Where can you find info on the Josie Neglia course?

[salsachinita]

I think Edie has one such course also :? .......

Has anyone here done it with either Edie or Josie Neglia? Care to share some insight...?

[Sagitta]

Where can you find info on the Josie Neglia course?

w w w .latindance.com is her website and the following link leads to hr teacher training course... https: / / w w w .latindance.com/course.htm

[salsalawyer]

all that all have heard of is Josie`s course. Plus she does have a degree in dance.

Both are excellent instructors!

[Pacion]

Am aware of Josie. I think hers has been running longer than Edie's? Apparently Josie has moved from LA back to Canada but I am not sure if she is doing them still or if so, in which town.

I think either Joby or Luis, formerly of Salsa Brava, are going to be teaching courses also.

[Genesius Redux]

The ability to actually dance would be nice.

By dance, I mean dance with one's whole body. One of the big problems out here (Nashville) with some of the people teaching club salsa is that all they can do is teach patterns. And the leads are taught so heavy, nuance in terms of precisely where they come or how they can be indicated rather than forced are neglected. Body position is ignored. The lead comes from the arms and only the arms. I have enough dance background to watch the really great salsa dancers and see what they're doing or to sometimes figure out the technical aspects of leading a step by myself. But if all I wanted to do was learn patterns, I can get that by watching videos.

[ketchup]

But if all I wanted to do was learn patterns, I can get that by watching videos.

I agree with GR :!: .

One time, I had a chance to take a private lesson with one of NY based well known teachers. She asked me what I was hoping to learn, so I asked a bunch of technicality questions. She didn't answer any of them.
She noticed that I was so frustrated. Then she goes, "you know, I have some cool patterns I can show you."

A couple of days later, a friend of mine showed me one of this same instructor's videos, and I found out that she had just picked up some "cool patterns" from that video! And I paid MORE than twice as much as the video for that stupid 50 min. lesson. :x :x :x

[Pacion]

Do you remember what those technical questions were? Enquiring minds would like to know :wink:

[pygmalion]

Disclaimer: I did ballroom first. :oops: :lol:

Here's my observation. A lot of the good, even very good salsa dancers out there are beautiful at dancing, and even executing great technique. But many haven't done formal study of dance, so sometimes it's hard for them to teach technique. Executing technique and teaching it are two different things. Much respect to the beautiful salsa dancers out there, of course. :notworth: But teaching technique is hard to do if you haven't studied enough to break it down and explain it in simple terms.

[peachexploration]

But if all I wanted to do was learn patterns, I can get that by watching videos.

I agree with GR :!: .

One time, I had a chance to take a private lesson with one of NY based well known teachers. She asked me what I was hoping to learn, so I asked a bunch of technicality questions. She didn't answer any of them.
She noticed that I was so frustrated. Then she goes, "you know, I have some cool patterns I can show you."

A couple of days later, a friend of mine showed me one of this same instructor's videos, and I found out that she had just picked up some "cool patterns" from that video! And I paid MORE than twice as much as the video for that stupid 50 min. lesson. :x :x :x

Yup, definately seen this before. :(

[Genesius Redux]

Executing technique and teaching it are two different things. Much respect to the beautiful salsa dancers out there, of course. :notworth: But teaching technique is hard to do if you haven't studied enough to break it down and explain it in simple terms.

True, and that's not what I'm complaining about. I know enough about technique to know what questions to ask and what to look for when I watch someone dance. What I don't like are the many teachers I've seen out there with no technique and no style, who are simply teaching steps. Waste of time!!!!!

[Sagitta]

I completely agree. Any teacher worth his/her salt will incorporate technique and style, starting with the person who does not know his left from right foot all the way up to advanced dancers, and will know just how much of this to illustrate.

By the way I have started helping out beginners in a completely different manner. I just tell them to relax and step, to listen to the music, look at me...a very different approach and one that can result in a much better dance experience then actually teaching moves...but, not one that one can do with everyone. :)

[MacMoto]

What I want teachers to teach:

- That dancing is about music and partner connection, not about collecting moves/turn patterns and showing them off.

- That the patterns they show are not prescriptions, just suggestions. Students are encouraged/helped to take them apart and make them different and their own, and are also taught to be flexible and be able to adapt to the condition of the dancefloor.

- That the point of each class is not to memorise patterns but to learn how to lead the partner through them (many teachers break down moves to teach, but not necessarily from the lead-follow viewpoint, i.e., what lead is required at each point of the moves and why it has to be done that way).

- That the followers are supposed to follow the lead, not the patterns the teacher showed.

If you think there's nothing new here, you have been lucky with your teachers. :evil:

[pygmalion]

I take that to mean you've had some less pleasant experiences, MacMoto. Yes, there are some awful teachers out there on the loose.

[pygmalion]

Executing technique and teaching it are two different things. Much respect to the beautiful salsa dancers out there, of course. :notworth: But teaching technique is hard to do if you haven't studied enough to break it down and explain it in simple terms.

True, and that's not what I'm complaining about. I know enough about technique to know what questions to ask and what to look for when I watch someone dance. What I don't like are the many teachers I've seen out there with no technique and no style, who are simply teaching steps. Waste of time!!!!!

Yes. I have learned a lot of teachers who looked great, but didn't know why well enuogh to teach me the technqiue. Imitation can be a great way to learn. 8)

[Sagitta]

If you think there's nothing new here, you have been lucky with your teachers. :evil:

I've been lucky. Or df has educated me in a manner that I extract the lead of these moves. Either way knowing what to look for, being aware...that really is an important skill to have. :)

[squirrel]

Since I was a 10-left feet person, I had to learn technique, and what people haven't explained me, I understood later by practising and asking myself why I made mistakes... then, being the assistant of my former instructors was also of assistance, 'cause now I had to break all the moves down for complete beginners... do you know how difficult that is? People ask questions I've never thought of... And now, that I have my own school, it is even more challenging... still, I try and explain my students Salsa is about life and passion, not about patterns and show off...

[borikensalsero]

Executing technique and teaching it are two different things. Much respect to the beautiful salsa dancers out there, of course. :notworth: But teaching technique is hard to do if you haven't studied enough to break it down and explain it in simple terms.

True, and that's not what I'm complaining about. I know enough about technique to know what questions to ask and what to look for when I watch someone dance. What I don't like are the many teachers I've seen out there with no technique and no style, who are simply teaching steps. Waste of time!!!!!

:notworth: :notworth: :notworth: :notworth:

That might be strange comming from me, but here is what I think...

Salsa really isn't about technique nor execution of patterns, however, every move has its technique, which many salsa instructors know not a thing about... they can talk a good dance, but they can't explain a good dance. Then they travel the world passing along what they don't know, in the form of a mind that says, I'm ready to teach because I can dance, hence, creating a frame of mind in their students that doesn't know the left from the right, yet can mimic a teacher to a "T"....

[borikensalsero]

still, I try and explain my students Salsa is about life and passion, not about patterns and show off...

NOW WE ARE TALKING!!! ME loves this very much! Can I take your class squirrel... I just want to feel goose bumps over take my body when I look into someone eyes, with percussion telling me to become one!!! :D :D :D :D :D

[salsachinita]

Then they travel the world .........creating a frame of mind in their students that doesn't know the left from the right, yet can mimic a teacher to a "T"....

This, my dear friends, is how cookie-cutter dancers get invented :wink: !

[squirrel]

boriken... :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:

I am afraid you are far more advanced than I am...

[borikensalsero]

boriken... :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:

I am afraid you are far more advanced than I am...


Not at all, I'm the average dancer, the only advance dance I do is that one of the soul, and that is because it doesn't care why/what/where/who/how as long as it is dancing. I can learn very much from you...

[salsalawyer]

Salsa is a street dance as you know. I thought that this has something to do with it. The young hotshot with the cool moves may not be the best teacher.

Some of the street dancers may not know how to teach the finer tuning aspects. They may do it by instinct but teaching it to students is a different matter.

How many teachers today teach timing and musicality especially in club group lessons?

I know both Edie and Josie do!